Estate Plans
The estate plans project is designed to bring the residents views together with the needs of the environment in order to improve quality of life in the estates. Taking a look at the communal areas of the buildings, the open spaces and the green areas, the estates plans project works with residents to define what needs to be done to improve them.
The Estate Plans will also increase our knowledge of the estates in Hackney. They will complement the information already held by Hackney Homes with qualitative information from residents about how the environment can be improved.
Why is it important to know the local residents views?
Every estate is unique and what works in one estate will not necessarily work in another. The residents who live on the estates have good local knowledge and first hand experience to indicate what improvements will work best in their estates.
Is there funding allocated to this project?
No, there isn't any additional funding and the improvements identified will have to be delivered within available resource. This means that we will not always be able to deliver the improvements identified by the residents.
It is still very important to establish what the residents views are so that, if funding becomes available, there is a database of needs ready to be used. In addition, the residents ideas can be used to:
- Complement the information held in the Hackney Homes asset management system with qualitative information about the estate and what the residents priorities are and as such will provide an opportunity to review established planned maintenance programmes to ensure they meet the needs of the stock;
- Provide a formal framework to facilitate/assist resident lead budget to be spent;
- Enable officers and residents to apply for additional funding.
Where improvements needs have been identified but there is no money immediately available to deliver them, we will keep them in a database of needs which will be reviewed yearly by the officers to see whether funding has become available.
We collect as much information as possible about every estate. We are interested in finding out about the past history, repairs carried out and to be carried out, community activities/projects. We will look at what is good about living on your estates, at the issues which might affect the quality of life of the estate and at the possible ways of improving the standards.
- The first stage of consultation involves a walkabout on the estate. In the estates with a Tenant and Residents Association, the representatives will be invited. We also involve the neighbourhood managers and ask them about their views and experience of the estates.
- The second stage of consultation involves a postal survey which is sent to all addresses on the estates. We will ask you to indicate what are the areas of main concerns and/or what are you mostly satisfied with in your estate.
- The final stage of the consultation involves a focus group where we explore how you would like to see the issues which affect your estates resolved. We will look for practical solutions which would make a difference to the life of the whole community.
Examples of improvements could include:
- Boundaries improvements;
- Security improvements;
- Dealing with vulnerable areas;
- Revamping the play area;
- Improving the green areas and the planting;
- Parking
- Improving waste disposal areas;
- Youth activities.
How does this differ to the 184 and EIB budgets?
The 184 and EIBs are pots of money that the residents - via the Neighbourhood Panels and the Enhanced Tenants Associations - decide how to spend on their estates.
The Estate Plans are also residents lead in the sense that we ask the residents what improvements they would like to see on their estates, but there is no money linked to it. In some instances the residents ideas will remain simple suggestions but in other cases, where a source of funding can be identified, they will be implemented.
We will send a postal survey to all addresses in each estate we consult and will advertise the Focus Group date in the communal areas of your estate. It is important you let us know if you would like to take part but are unable to do so because of circumstances beyond your control. We can only run one set of consultation but will do all we can to accommodate everybody's needs and help you take part in the consultation.
Anyone who needs help with the postal survey or has difficulty attending the focus group, can contact us on the number below and we will try to help.
Who can I contact?
If you have further questions, would like to make a suggestion and/or would like to find out more about the project, please contact the estate plans co-ordinator:Tel.020 8356 2360
Or write to Carla via post: 3rd floor, Christopher Addison House, 72 Wilton Way, London E8 1BJ